Updated: Longer HGVs mooted by Department for Transport

The day Londoners are being urged to sign a petition against lethal lorries may not be the ideal time for the Government to propose allowing longer HGVs on Britain's roads.

However, today the Department for Transport has launched a consultation on the possibility of allowing an increase in the length of articulated lorries, saying that independent research has demonstrated such a move could cut carbon emissions without compromising safety.

The research is being published today by Roads Minister Mike Penning along with a consultation paper seeking views on the proposed changes.

The proposal would allow a two metre increase in the total length of articulated lorries without changing the existing weight limit of 44 tonnes, taking the maximum permitted length of an articulated lorry to 18.75 metres.

The DfT estimates that this move could increase capacity for hauliers transporting lightweight goods by up to 13% and cut carbon emissions by around one hundred thousand tonnes each year.

Of course such legislation may also permit lorry cabs to be designed in such a way as to make vulnerable road users more visible to drivers. The DfT-commissioned report says: "A 1m pedestrian-friendly nosecone applied to all tractor units would be likely to save 10 pedestrian fatalities per year in GB and 2 pedal cyclists."

However, it seems reasonable to assume that hauliers would want to use the extra length for cargo-carrying, rather than life-saving purposes.

Mike Penning said: "The road haulage industry is vital to the economy, making goods and services accessible across the country.

"These proposals would allow haulage firms to use one larger truck where previously they may have needed to send two vehicles. This will help to make our haulage industry cleaner and greener as well as allowing businesses greater flexibility without compromising safety.

"I hope that everyone with an interest in this issue will take time to look at this consultation and let us know their views on this proposed change."

A spokeswoman for the DfT told road.cc that such longer vehicles would spend the majority of their time moving between large distribution centres rather than operating in urban environments where they would be likely to encounter cyclists.

“We do not believe that there would be any increased risk to cyclists or any other roads users from allowing a 2.05 metre increase in the length of HGV semi-trailers.

“However, we are consulting on these proposals and have included a question in the consultation on whether we should require these vehicles to use hi-tech steering which would make their turning circles smaller than those of conventional HGVs.

"The current evidence does not suggest that this is necessary but we welcome evidence and views from the public on whether this should be a condition of allowing the use of these vehicles and will consider this closely.”

The Department further maintains that longer lorries weighing the same as those currently on the highways would not create any increased wear and tear on road surfaces.

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crazy-legs[966 posts]6 years ago

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I've got a clever idea to increase capacity and cut emissions/costs. What if you got a load of lorries and stuck them together, end to end and then you put a very big engine on the front of it. You could make special rails for them to run on at high speed very safely. It'd be like a train of lorries running on rails - I'd call it a Railway Train.

Lots of HGVs struggle with winding rural roads and tight urban streets in the UK already. Making the vehicles larger sounds ridiculous. And once they are legal the hauliers will want to make the most of them so they won't be restricted to edge-of-town distribution centres.

As for the argument about saving CO2 I suggest that is at best a red herring, at worst intentionally misleading.

Chuckling at the "ped friendly" nose cone, I had to check it wasn't Friday already. Is it some kind of sponge? Better cab design and, most importantly, driver training would be much better ideas.

I personally don't see a problem with larger lorries. As they say, the VAST majority of their usage will be on 'trunking' runs between main depots, and not coming into areas anyway.

Also, as a cyclist myself, and also a bit of a truck fan, it is my opinion that in the majority of accidents involving lorries and bikes the main problem is the cyclist being a prat and squeezing themselves into one of the many blind spots on the lorry.

In a queue of traffic, for example, DO NOT pass a large vehicle unless you can be certain that they can not move until you have got completely clear of them! This is very simple to do, and if everyone followed this advice there would not be a problem.

I personally don't see a problem with larger lorries. As they say, the VAST majority of their usage will be on 'trunking' runs between main depots, and not coming into areas anyway.

Also, as a cyclist myself, and also a bit of a truck fan, it is my opinion that in the majority of accidents involving lorries and bikes the main problem is the cyclist being a prat and squeezing themselves into one of the many blind spots on the lorry.

In a queue of traffic, for example, DO NOT pass a large vehicle unless you can be certain that they can not move until you have got completely clear of them! This is very simple to do, and if everyone followed this advice there would not be a problem.

"it is my opinion that in the majority of accidents involving lorries and bikes the main problem is the cyclist being a prat"

Thank you for an opinion that is not supported by road accident investigations, highlighting issues with poor visibility from the cab of large HGV's, left hand drive lorries on city streets and a recent spate of fatal accidents involving HGV's in London.

I'm sure the families mourning the loss of the cyclists involved will appreciate your use of the word 'prat'.